Spotlight for automobiles



C. A. MADDUX.

SPOTLIGHT FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 19. I921.

1,428,108. PatenbedSept. 5, 1922:.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

2 32. .11 KMZ%M% Mi w i TM C. A. MADDUX.

SPOTLIGHT FOR AUTOMOBILES APPLICATION FILED JULY I9. 1921.

Patentedsept. 5, 1922.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

Patented Sept. 5, 1922.

CHARLES A. MADJDUX, OF PORTLAND, OREGON.

sro'rLIGH'r ron AUTOMOBILES.

Application filed July 19,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES A. MADDUx, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Portland, in the county of Multnomah, in the State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spotlights for Automobiles, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to lighting devices for automobiles of the spot light type or that which is adjustable and adapted to be directed at will toward any port-ion of the road.

The object of my invention, generally stated,'is to produce a spot light that is adjustable with customary effect and purpose,

and which is also provided with a side light or ray-emitting elongated slot that is adapted to illuminate, on one side, the length of a car to which it is attached, and which is also so disposed as to permit its rotative adjustment in such manner as to direct the rays proceeding from said slot at any angle to one side of the vertical without disturbing the line of direction of the beam of light from the spot light.

IVhat constitutes my invention will be hereinafter specified in detail and succinctly set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure I is a horizontal, longitudinal section partially in elevation of my invention, and a plan of its support, showing the same in present preferred form of embodiment.

Figure II is a side elevation of the subject matter of Figure I, looking towards the side li ht.

Figure III is a diagrammatic side elevation of a representative form of automobile, showing my spot light attached thereto as in service, and showing the side light thereof deflected downwardly to illuminate the running-board of the car.

Figure IV is a top plan view of the subject matter of Figure III, but showing the side light in substantially horizontal adjustment.

Referring to the numerals on the drawings, 1 indicates a spot light case that may be made of metal and of any suitable and preferred design and construction. It is of oblong dimensions and preferably conoidal in shape, tapering from its larger end 2 to- 1921. Serial No. 485,905.

wards a blunted, preferably rounded, extremity 3.

IVithin, the end 2 of the case, I provide a cup reflector 4 that is covered by a lens 5. Both reflector and lens may be of any usual or preferred design and construction.

Within the wall of the reflector 4 is suitably mounted, in any usual or preferred with a suitable source of electric energy, not

illustrated.

The apparatus, so far as described, with the exception of the case 1, may be substantially such as that which is comprehended in any ordinary spot light.

In the side of the elongated case 1, substantially opposite the point 11, I provide a reflector 12 that is preferably oblong and whose open side is defined by a frame15, that may be secured to the wall of the case 1, as by rivets 16. In the-bottom of said reflector 12 I provide, preferably, a single electric lamp 17 whose feed wires 18 and 19 are insulated and carried with the wires 8 and 9 within the tube 10. If more than one lamp 17 be used they should be ranged along the longitudinal extent of the frame 15.

The frame 15 is provided with a slot-like aperture 20 into which, preferably, fits an oblong lens 21, that is held in place by the said frame.

The aperture 20 is an important functionating element of the side light of my device and may be made effective irrespective of the shape of the reflector or of the number and arrangement of the lamps behind it. Its function being to restrict to a'flat shape the rays of light admittedthrough it from the lamp 17, for example, it is made in form of a slot, which will produce the desired distribution of rays emitted from the lamp 17 irrespective of the form and disposition thereof.

By reason of the rearwardly inclined disposition of the frame 15 and of the reflector 12, illumination obtained through the aperture 20 is kept directed towards the rear of the carrepresented by 23-in all adjustments of the case 1.

For the purpose of effecting all desired adjustments of the case any suitable means may be provided, such, for example, as a universal joint, diagrammatically indicated by the numeral 25, in Figure I, of the drawmgs.

In operation, the case 1 may be adjusted in the usual manner to direct the rays from the lamp 7 in a forward or oblique direction. By my invention, rays from the lamp 17 or side light may be directed, through rotative adjustment of the case, by aid of the joint 25, so as to illuminate the running board of the car and the road side, or to flash a light horizontally or in an upwardly oblique direction, at desire.

By the aid of my device the side of the car may be illuminated courteously, without glare, for the benefit of the driver of a can moving in the opposite direction; the roadside may be illuminated; the wheels may ,be illuminated for repairs at night; the

running board of a car may be clearly displayed for the benefit Of'a passenger; signs along the road may be caught; and the side light may be used advantageously in making change from the drivers seat or in securing a plain view of the face of a pedestrian who may be passing, or may hail the driver of the car.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with means of support, of an automobile side lamp comprising a casing provided with openings on front and side, respectively, and means of lightof the case upon its support about its axis that is substantially parallel to the said aperture, whereby direction of distribution of the light rays through said side aperture may be varied without disturbing the direction of light distribution from the front opening.

3. The combination with an oblong tapered case provided at one end with an opening, and with an electric lamp and a reflector in operative communication with said opening, of means of support for said case, a frame provided with a narrow, elongated, slot-like aperture mounted longitudinally in the inclined side wall of the case, an electric lamp and a reflector behind said slotted frame, and means of rotative adjustment of the case upon its support, whereby, when the device is mounted upon an automobile, flat rays of light may be constantly directed rearwardly to the side of the car at any desired angle of adjustment in a vertical plane, without disturbance of the direction of light distribution from the end opening in the case.

4. The combination with means of support, of an automobile side lamp comprising a casing-provided with a front opening and a side opening, a reflector and lighting means for said front opening, additional lighting means for said side opening, the side opening being a narrow elongated slotlike aperture, and a reflector for said side opening having a contour substantially conforming to the shape of the opening and adapted to project rays of light spreadin longitudinally of the opening but restricte to a substantially flat beam transversely of the opening.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES A. MADDUX. Witnesses JOS PH L. ATKiNs, JOHN B. CLELAND. 

